Monday is not typically associated with dining out, but Monday, March 1 will be the exception. Diners can celebrate the 10th anniversary of one of the city's best restaurants, indulge at a dessert pop-up, and feast on a sandwich celebrating one of Houston's COVID-19 heroes.
For restaurant workers, many of whom have the day off, can enjoy a free lunch at one of the city's most well-regarded barbecue joints. Here's a quick rundown of all the happenings in roughly chronological order.
Pondicheri will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a number of specials. Every order will receive free pakoras and chutney with each order on Monday. In addition, a special anniversary menu runs all week with throwback dishes such as Goat Biryani, Texas Shrimp Chaat, Chocolate Bread Pudding with saffron crème anglaise, and more.
"A lot has happened in ten years. We opened the Bake Lab, closed Indika, went to NYC, sold it at just the right time, and survived COVID," chef-owner Anita Jaisinghan said in a statement. "And all in all, we are so grateful to still have our beloved Pondi and our loyal troop of customers who just keep coming, day after day. We have settled into our shoes but the incessant experimenting and learning never stops.”
Restaurant industry workers will find a free lunch on Monday at Feges BBQ. Thanks to an anonymous benefactor and a few sponsors, the Greenway Plaza barbecue joint will offer their colleagues their choice of barbecue, hot dogs and ground beef from 44 Farms to take home, a slice of cake from Rustika Cafe, bread from Bread Man Baking Co., beer from Sierra Nevada, and cider from Austin Eastciders. The special runs from 11 am-2 pm.
Antone's Famous Po 'Boys will release its newest "H-Town Originals" collaboration sandwich on Monday. For March, the restaurant tapped Dr. Peter Hotez of Texas Children’s Hospital Chair in Tropical Pediatrics, co-director of Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He's become a national figure during the coronavirus pandemic as an authority on vaccines.
On sale until the end of May, the “The Dr. Hotez One World” banh mi combines thinly sliced marinated beef on house-baked French bread served with pickled carrots, cucumber, daikon radish, papaya with a roasted garlic-sambal aioli, and fresh jalapeño for $8.95. Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys will donate 50-percent of the sandwich's proceeds to to Texas Children’s Hospital to support the hospital’s Center for Vaccine Development.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with Antone’s and Chef Alex Padilla on this project and thrilled to be honored for our vaccine development, policy and advocacy activities at Texas Children’s and Baylor,” Hotez said in a release. “It’s been a privilege to represent our city of Houston and state of Texas in educating the American people about this horrible pandemic, while working to dismantle and debunk widespread anti-science disinformation.”
Finish Monday at a special pop-up that joins one of the city's top bartenders with a rising star pastry chef. Kimberly Paul (Etoile, Brasserie du Parc) and chef Jamie Orlacchio (White Elm Cafe) have teamed up for Baroque It, an evening of three dessert courses paired with cocktails.
Held from 4-8 pm at Bovine & Barley (416 Main St.), the menu includes prune soup with apple and Greek yogurt paired with a cocktail that includes cognac and Aquavit; olive oil cake paired with a gin-based punch; and dark chocolate ice cream paired with a cocktail built around Earl Grey tea and gin. Courses cost $15 each or get all three for $35.
Peter Hotez's banh mi will be available through May.
